Vegan enfrijoladas
I think of enfrijoladas as inside-out enchiladas: the cheese is on the inside and the beans are on the top. I hope my Mexican relations will forgive me for that description!
Ingredients:
For the pineapple salsa:
¼ fresh pineapple
Fresh red or green chilli
Coriander leaves (or mint, or parsley)
For the black bean sauce:
1 x 420g can black beans (do not drain)
Up to ½ cup of water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (optional)
1 tablespoon pickled jalapeños
1 teaspoon vegetable stock powder
¼ teaspoon cumin powder
¼ teaspoon cocoa powder
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
Salt
The rest:
12 small corn or flour tortillas
½ cup grated Angel Food cheddar
½ cup Angel Food sour cream
Optional garnish: diced fresh tomato, sliced avocado, red onion slices (picked or raw), coriander leaves
Instructions
1. Make the pineapple salsa:
1. Cut the top and bottom off the pineapple. Remove the skin by standing the pineapple on a chopping board and cutting down with a big sharp knife. Cut into quarters and cut the core out of each quarter. Cut one quarter into very small pieces and put it in a bowl. (Because chopping a pineapple is a bit of a faff, I like to cut up the whole thing in one go and store the excess in the fridge – for delicious easy snacking.)
2. To the finely chopped pineapple, add very finely chopped chilli and very finely chopped fresh herbs of your choice. Stir to combine and set aside.
2. Make the black bean sauce:
1. Put the tinned beans (liquid and all) in a medium-sized pan on medium heat. Add about half of the ½ cup of water, vegetable oil, jalapenos, stock powder, cumin, cocoa and garlic.
2. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Simmer for a few minutes then turn off the heat.
3. Blend until smooth (using a stick immersion blender or food processor). If it’s too thick, add a little extra water. Check the seasoning and adjust as necessary.
3. Put it all together:
Place about 2 tablespoons of grated cheese on one half of each tortilla, then fold them in half. Fry for a couple of minutes on each side until the tortilla is crispy and the cheese is melty. While you cook the next batch, put a clean tea towel over the ones you’ve already cooked, to keep them warm.
Serve topped with a generous pour of the black bean sauce, sour cream and other delicious and colourful toppings.
Notes
Make ahead: the black bean sauce can be made a couple of days ahead and stored in the fridge. You could also prepare the pineapple a day in advance, and add in the chilli and herbs just before serving.
Leftovers: the black bean sauce and pineapple salsa can be refrigerated in separate airtight containers for up to 3 days. The black bean sauce could also be frozen. It would make a great pasta sauce or a dip for taco chips.
Instead of pineapple you could use fresh tomato or other fruits eg melon, kiwifruit or peach.
The tablespoon of oil in the black bean sauce makes it richer but feel free to leave it out if you prefer.
Rather than frying the tortillas, you could bake or grill them, or cook them in a toasted sandwich maker.
